Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Hamra Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Hamra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,437 in Beirut versus $889 in Hamra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,353 in Beirut versus $1,403 in Hamra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Beirut versus $1,918 in Hamra.

Living in Beirut is roughly 62% more expensive than Hamra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 7% above, Hamra is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

$10.68 LBP 955.9K

0.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 LBP 5.3M

$60.8 LBP 5.4M

-1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 720.0K

$7.98 LBP 714.1K

0.75%

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 292.4K

$3.31 LBP 296.4K

-1.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 LBP 141.4K

$1.59 LBP 142.2K

-0.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.4K

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 LBP 308.9K

$3.43 LBP 306.8K

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 LBP 453.3K

$4.92 LBP 440.2K

2.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

$1.79 LBP 160.2K

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 LBP 76.5K

$0.85 LBP 76.3K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 163.3K

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

4.00%

Eggs

$3.19 LBP 285.4K

$3.17 LBP 283.5K

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$11.32 LBP 1.0M

1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 LBP 859.6K

$9.31 LBP 833.2K

3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$11.23 LBP 1.0M

1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 LBP 154.6K

$1.72 LBP 154.3K

0.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.4K

$1.53 LBP 137.3K

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.14 LBP 102.3K

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 LBP 96.9K

$1.10 LBP 98.2K

-1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

$0.94 LBP 84.4K

5.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

$0.99 LBP 88.8K

5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.8K

$0.86 LBP 77.0K

-5.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.7K

$0.56 LBP 50.3K

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.6K

$2.43 LBP 217.1K

1.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 LBP 890.6K

$10.05 LBP 899.9K

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

$2.16 LBP 193.0K

1.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.4K

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 LBP 442.2K

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

0.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.5K

$1.27 LBP 113.6K

0.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

$0.88 LBP 78.5K

2.27%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-1.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.6K LBP 2.5B

$28.2K LBP 2.5B

-2.20%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$218 LBP 19.5M

$211 LBP 18.9M

3.03%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.46 LBP 3.4M

$37.01 LBP 3.3M

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 LBP 3.3M

$37.63 LBP 3.4M

-0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 LBP 6.1M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.84 LBP 2.7M

Cinema Ticket

$8.13 LBP 727.3K

$8.03 LBP 718.9K

1.25%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$297 LBP 26.6M

$302 LBP 27.1M

-1.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,404 LBP 394.1M

$4,376 LBP 391.7M

0.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.6 LBP 6.4M

$70.0 LBP 6.3M

2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 LBP 4.0M

$45.64 LBP 4.1M

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 LBP 10.8M

$122 LBP 10.9M

-1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 LBP 8.6M

$94.6 LBP 8.5M

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 LBP 72.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,023 LBP 181.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$950 LBP 85.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,685 LBP 329.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,978 LBP 177.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 LBP 58.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beirut: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hamra: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $61.0 in Hamra. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $234, with Hamra cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beirut vs Hamra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hamra is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,155 in Beirut and $1,333 in Hamra to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Beirut. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,437 per month in Beirut versus $889 in Hamra – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Hamra versus $1,437 in Beirut, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Hamra but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Hamra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hamra is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Hamra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.